Nov. 5, 2017
06:42 am JST

Nov. 5, 2017
06:53 am JST

What is ridiculous is the claim that he is an AI, how low the term has fallen. Unless he has achieved a level of consciousness indistinguishable from human beings, he is not at AI. As for being a boy, why not?

Nov. 5, 2017
06:55 am JST

Nov. 5, 2017
07:37 am JST

consciousness indistinguishable from human beings, he is not at AI

Thats not the definition of an AI. It’s just that in past science fiction, they rarely showed the point at which AI was still evolving. They only showed fully evolved AI, though even then it wasn’t necessarily indistinguishable from humans. AI simply means an algorithm that has the ability to expand beyond the algorithm that was used in its design. Or in other words, the ability to learn something it wasn’t programmed with.

Nov. 5, 2017
09:42 am JST

Nov. 5, 2017
09:47 am JST

Real humans who are refugees from some war-torn area can’t get asylum but a product of some computer geek’s imagination and software can. I think I see how to get asylum in Abe’s Make-Japan-Great-Again Japan: Be fake.

Nov. 5, 2017
11:18 am JST

Nov. 5, 2017
11:36 am JST

For all talking about "Residency", and how AI can get it but a foreigner can't or things like that, just be aware that what they are talking about is a "Juminhyo", which foreigners also have, if they come as a mid-long term resident.

Also, this is a "Special" Juminhyo, which means, not a real one. These are given even to fictional characters, and mean nothing more than the locality wants some news about how they gave a Juminhyo to something that is popular or beloved.

Fairly easy to get PR, 3-years visa is needed.

To get that you need to work at one company, as each new job resets the visa back to 1yr.

Now, this one is completely false.

First, you need 10 years of constant residence in Japan and of those, 5 years holding a visa that lets you hold a Job.

If you change your job, it doesn't reset the count, the only problem you have when you change your job is that while not holding a permanent residency, the next time you renew your status you might get just 1 year instead of 3 or 5.

Nov. 5, 2017
01:27 pm JST

Meanwhile Kurds in detention seeking refugee status live every moment knowing that they could be deported at any time, and also that Japan excepts less than1% of refugees unless they are as labor trafficked people.

This nation would sooner give “AI” boys and seals residences and asylum than address the humanitarian crises they do nothing to help with, along with Japan’s aging population crisis and labor shortage.

It was a help to me when I did my own application and I did it without no reliance whatsoever on immigration lawyers or other legal assistance.

Readers should keep in mind that they are far more likely to hear from people who have had problems than from people whose applications sail through. If the English language news media carried a story for each and every person who gets PR or citizenship without a hassle, they would have no room for other stories.

Nov. 5, 2017
08:48 pm JST

I and many others got PR without having lived here for 10yrs, myself 5yrs on a spousal visa.

I am still wrong, got the papers to proof it.

You are still wrong, what you got it fast because your particular status allows it.

If you are married to a Japanese person, you will get it just in 3 years. You also require to CONTINUE to live in japan for another year, if you don't you lose your PR.

If you are a Teijuusha, basically a long-term resident because of mostly having family in japan, being a nikkei, or divorce your Japanese spouse before you get another residence status, you require 5 years.

If you are a refugee you also require 5 years.

If you have the special points visa that no one has, you can get it in 1 year.

But for any other case, it is 10 years, with 5 years holding a working visa.

Nov. 5, 2017
09:07 pm JST

Ten years of residency for what? PR? That’s the worst case. If you’ve been working it’s five. If you have special skills or meet other conditions, it’s three. In a few cases it is only one year.

You are completely wrong. 10 years is the norm. Did you even read the guideline you provided?. It clearly states "Special cases" for anything less than 10 years.

If you are not married to a Japanese, if you are not a Teijuusha, a refugee, or have the imposible to get points visa, you have to do 10 years, with 5 of these being for work, you also require to have at the moment of applying for the PR a status of at least 3 years.

This also kind of apply for citizenship. It is in theory 5 years, but the Ministry of Justice does not consider some status, like Student or a non-paid Researcher/Scholar to qualify for these since they don't pay taxes; in those cases it is required to have 3 of these 5 years holding status that allows you to work.

If you are for example, an student and researcher for all this time, you require 10 years, just like the PR. The only difference is that for citizenship for 10 years or more you don't require to comply with the work status.

Also, and this is a fun one, if you do not hold a PR at the time of doing the naturalization process, there is an extra review, in which workers from the Ministry of Justice come to your house to inspect, talk to you neighbors and to your Employers.

In the case of citizenship, there is also the simplified citizenship, which is also given to people married to a Japanese spouse, and only requires 3 years, just like the PR.

How do I know all of this?, Because I'm in the process of actually getting my citizenship, which has been a nightmare, since I've been living here for 10 years, and even then I have problems, mainly because I was a student for many years, and I'm not married.

Most of all those blogs and sites like the one of Inoue Eido or the one from Arudo Debito, are from people who are basically from English speaking countries, who came to japan as a teacher, and ended up marrying (and divorcing) with a Japanese citizen. Their position is extraordinary when you compare it with most immigrants in Japan.

Nov. 6, 2017
02:00 pm JST

Nov. 6, 2017
02:42 pm JST

Law still says 3yr visa or 10yrs of residency to be eligible.

Wrong, At least 3 year visa (It actually says "The maximum residence lenght for your visa", but since the immigration law changed recently, and now there are even 5 years visa, immigration interprets 3 years as the maximum) at the time of applying AND 10 years of residency, with 5 of those holding a visa without restrictions over your ability to work.

In other words, you've been living in Japan for 10 years, but 9 of them you were a college student getting your bachelors, masters and Ph.D, you are out of luck, you require to work for at least another 4 years.

If you have been living in Japan for 20 years, but for some reason, such as the immigration worker didn't liked you and gave you without much of a reason a 1 year visa renewal, once again, you are out of luck. You need to wait at least 3 months before you actual residence expires to be able to apply for a new renewal, and pray to the immigration gods that they will have mercy on you this time.

But on the other hand, if you just happened to marry a Japanese woman, you have been married for more than 3 years, and you have been living in Japan for just a year, congratulations, you can apply for permanent residency.

Not to mention that people who are married to a Japanese citizen do not really even require the permanent residency (unless they are planing to divorce their partner withou any kids), because you will just get lenghtly visas with absolutly no restrictions what so even in the type of work you can do. You are basically already a permanent resident.

The time it takes to get any application by immigration approved variates a lot because of a lot of variables, and the timing in which you applied, so that doesn't say much.

The first time I renewed my visa it took about 2 months, but the 2 times I applied for a change on type of status of residency it took less than a month, even thou it should take a lot more than a simple renewal.

Nov. 6, 2017
02:48 pm JST

Luis David Yanez: I'm not young or rich and I score 85 on this... I'm not special, you only need 70 points. This system basically looking for industry professionals with university degrees that have worked in their field for 10 years or so.

Nov. 6, 2017
02:49 pm JST

Nov. 6, 2017
03:29 pm JST

I'm not young or rich and I score 85 on this... I'm not special, you only need 70 points. This system basically looking for industry professionals with university degrees that have worked in their field for 10 years or so.

There are actually 3 different types of points visa you can apply for.

The one your page shows for the type b visa.

This is the actual information about it, not a blog that tries to explain it for english speaking expats.

Let's explore this visa a little bit more. It gives you up to 50 points if you have a masters and Ph.D, but only 10 if you have a bachelors. It gives also more points for seniority working, but it actually amonishes you for not being young enough in the Annual salary and Age bracket.

It also give you points if you are a researcher, and specially if your research is being funded by the goverment.

It gives you extra points for useless IT licenses that are almost never needed.

It somehow gives mere 10 points for people who graduated in Japan, but if we are being honest, almost anyone who has graduated from a Japanese college would probably not be able to apply for this visa until they are way pass their 30's.

Maybe for your standards you are not "rich", but probably you earn way more than me, for example.

Not let me tell you my story. I'm young, earn way more than average for my age, I graduated from a Japanese college... and I get 55 points. Granted, if I wanted I could get the N1, but since it is only twice a year, it costs money, and it serves absolutely no purpose in my life other than to get this visa, I don't see the point.

Granted I was granted PR 15yrs ago?

Good for you, you are the one who seems to be confused. You seem to think that because you had it easy it most be easy for everyone else.

Nov. 6, 2017
03:43 pm JST

Nov. 6, 2017
09:15 pm JST

Luis David Yanez: Bam get a MBA and you are over 70. Only takes 2 years to get one, can do them online or at Temple. Cost around 2-4 million yen depending on school, if you are luck you can get you work to pay for it or claim it as a company expense if you run your own company.

Nov. 6, 2017
11:13 pm JST

get a MBA and you are over 70

I'm actually trying to get a Ph.D degree, skipping the masters. But I'm already in the process of naturalizing. By the time I did a Masters, or I finish my Ph.D, I've already got by nationality, which, once again, for people like me, who have been in Japan for a long time, the point system is completely useless.

If I did a masters for that visa, it would be a waste of time and money. For you 2-4 million yen in 2 years is maybe nothing, but for someone like me, it is actually quite a burden.

Not to mention that for my Ph.D I actually have to do a delayed special program, because I'm working at the same time, so it will probably take more than what it usually takes.

If you try to do even a MBA with a full time job without a special program, you will have an schedule of hell. But if you renounce your job, you also lose all the points from the annual salary points.

Another thing, runing you own company, while not being a permanent resident, is extremely dificult.

The point system is schysophrenic, it doesn't really knows what kind of people it wants, that's why I said, it wants young people with Ph.D, who earn a lot of money.

Nov. 6, 2017
11:18 pm JST

Let me put it in perspective.

I have enough points to apply for the point visa of Australia, New Zeland, Canada and the UK, places I've never lived in, but for Japan, a place in which I've been living for 10 years, I did my college in here, and I'm earning enough for my age so that the people at the Ministry of Justice to say that "I earn quite a lot", I do not have enough points for it, nor I comply with all the requirements for a permanent residency.

Nov. 7, 2017
12:37 am JST

Nov. 7, 2017
06:27 am JST

Luis David Yanez: I don't know what your argument is. You say a MBA is expensive and time consuming yet you are doing a PhD. The PhD will cost you much more, perhaps double or triple, what a masters would cost and take 2-3 time longer. Also running and starting a company as a non PR is easy. Japan will even allow people that don't even live in Japan with a foreign HQ address register a company. Reason being there is a minimum tax amount every company has to pay.

If you want the 70 points do a few Cisco or IT certs and an MBA. It will take 2 years part time to complete and raise your salary in the process once complete.

Nov. 7, 2017
06:54 pm JST

My argument is that people who want and would benefit from the point visa most of the time cannot get it, and people who really do not require that visa can get it. It is an useless visa.

You say a MBA is expensive and time consuming yet you are doing a PhD

I'm doing my PhD for myself, not for getting a visa. The point was, if I was to do a MBA just to get a visa it would be an enormous waste of time and money.

Japan will even allow people that don't even live in Japan with a foreign HQ address register a company

Yes, from OUTSIDE japan. If you want to self sponsor your work visa, there are many other restrictions. You require to employ at least 2 people and an invest more than 5 million yen. And you require a physical office in Japan.

If you want the 70 points do a few Cisco or IT certs and an MBA. It will take 2 years part time to complete and raise your salary in the process once complete.

Complete waste of money and time. By that time almost anyone is able to get either a PR or the japanese citizenship.

Nov. 7, 2017
07:03 pm JST

raise your salary in the process once complete

Taking miscelaneous Cisco or other IT certificates will not raise my salary.

I work as a developer researcher. I'm basically reading the newest computer scientific literature, and implementing those ideas into new products. Explain to me how are random low level IT certificates that have nothing to do with my field are going to raise my salary?

Nov. 7, 2017
08:49 pm JST

Nov. 8, 2017
07:55 am JST

Yes, from OUTSIDE japan. If you want to self sponsor your work visa, there are many other restrictions. You require to employ at least 2 people and an invest more than 5 million yen. And you require a physical office in Japan.

Old info... I setup my own company with 10,000yen capital, hired no one (but me) and self sponsored myself. Get a lawyer and accountant that knows the rules, the internet has a lot of old info on it.

Nov. 8, 2017
11:30 am JST

PhD vs MBA

I'm not talking about the merits of having a PhD or an MBA, I'm saying that taking an MBA only to get a visa is a waste of money and time.

The main reason why I'm personally trying to get a PhD is because I like the field, and for me is a good chance to do something I like while taking the degree, and also because in the field I work, I myself do research and I have to work with researchers, all of them have PhD's, and they take you more seriously if you also have at least a PhD.

Yes, for most people who are trying to start a business or something like that, a PhD will not help you at all.

Old info... I setup my own company with 10,000yen capital, hired no one (but me) and self sponsored myself. Get a lawyer and accountant that knows the rules, the internet has a lot of old info on it.

It's not old info, it's the law. If you want to self sponsor your visa with your own company those are the rules.

What you can do to get a visa while having your own business, is basically using long term or multiple short term contract with clients to sponsor another type of visa (not the business one).

This is basically the "freelancer" way to do things, but depending on the kind of work you want to do, it may not help you at all. Unless you are able to obtain contracts that can prove the terms of whatever visa you are trying to get, you cannot do it.

Nov. 8, 2017
01:27 pm JST

Luis David Yanez: I never had an issues like you describe, 300,000 yen and 2 weeks later I have a KK and I self sponsored myself. Setting up the company was super easy, opening a bank account for the company was the biggest issue I had with 3 banks rejecting my application. Eventually only the bank branch I had a personal account with would allow me to open a bank account.

Nov. 8, 2017
04:47 pm JST

Well, as I said since the beginning, it completely depends on your actual status of residence.

If you are trying to get the Business/Investment status, which is the one designed for having your own business, then you need what I already said, since those are the requirements.

If you had any other work visa, then you went the Freelance way I already described, which by the way doesn't even really require you to register a company, much less a Kabushiki-gaisha. What you need is just be able to show that you are regularly being employed and that you are making money. In this instance the length of your contracts and the sum of money is vital. You should, most of the time have a contract that has not expired at the time of applying for renewal, but if you try to get this status since the beginning, is completely impossible, since you will require a contract for more than 6 months without having violated any limitations on employment while getting it.

If you had dependent status, PR, Long term residence or any other residence type which does not have any restriction in your job, you are really not being "self sponsored", since your status doesn't depend on your job.

Nov. 8, 2017
05:19 pm JST

Luis David Yanez: Not talking investment visa obviously :) Register a Japanese KK, even if you are overseas, make yourself the president, hire yourself, apply for visa, "specialist in international humanities" or "engineering" or whatever is close.... just don't go for entertainment (it is impossible due to strippers coming in on it). Apply while overseas... wait for the visa, get the visa, move to Japan, change the companies address to Japan (even your apartment). To get the visa you need to have no criminal record and a 4 year university degree or something like that (just like any other company would).

Nov. 8, 2017
05:20 pm JST

^^^ sorry in addition, you need to pay yourself a salary and your company has to do tax returns etc. If your company is just a shell for a visa and you are not paying yourself expect to not get a renewal. You obviously need to be freelancing or running a legit business.

Nov. 8, 2017
11:08 pm JST

apply for visa, "specialist in international humanities" or "engineering"

That's the freelance way I talked about already.

For that you don't even really need a company, In Japanese law you can register yourself as a 個人事業主, which give you the right to basically have a trade mark and work under it.

You don't need to pay the annual company taxes. In fact, if you are just starting a business it's not a good idea to start as a company, as you will be taxed at 35%. If your personal income becomes taxable over this percentage, then maybe it is a good idea to register a company.

But as I said, for example, you require contracts.

If you try to do a business, for example, selling things or services directly to consumers, you are out of luck, unless you apply for the business/investor visa.